Ancelotti coy over Torres link

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has refused to be drawn on his club's bid for Fernando Torres - but is happy that "the club are trying to do everything they can to improve the squad".

Liverpool confirmed on Friday that they have rejected a bid - believed to be in the region of £35million - from the Blues for their star striker.

But Ancelotti said: "I don't want to speak about this, you will have to ask the club. He is not my player and I have to have respect for Liverpool. I don't like to speak about this."

Ancelotti had previously intimated that the club's protracted pursuit of Benfica defender David Luiz would be their only major move of the January transfer window.

But, asked if the Torres bid had therefore caught him by surprise, he said: "I'm not surprised, because I know very well what the club is doing now. I am happy because the club is doing a fantastic job in this transfer market. The club is trying to do everything to improve the squad."

Didier Drogba's below-par form this season, owing largely to the Ivory Coast striker suffering from malaria, has been a concern for Chelsea but Ancelotti insisted Torres was not being targeted to replace his current attacking talisman.

"Drogba doesn't have a problem," he said. "He can play with anybody. For tomorrow (Saturday's FA Cup fourth round tie at Everton) I don't need more strikers. Maybe in the future, I don't know."

Attempting to put an end to the topic of conversation, he said: "Tomorrow we have an important game against Everton. I want to speak about this. If you don't want to speak about Everton, I can go and have lunch."